§ Dr. Evan HarrisTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans there are for the NHS to advertise for(a) consultants, (b) general practitioners, (c) nursing and midwifery staff and (d) professions allied to medicine in the foreign media; if he will list such campaigns since 1 May 1997; and what the (i) cost of each advertisement and (ii) the total cost was. [128919]
§ Mr. HuttonNational health service trusts are responsible for their own recruitment and no data on the number and costs of their advertisements in the foreign media are held centrally.
Since 1 May 1997 the following annual costs for advertising in foreign media have been incurred by the Department to recruit healthcare professionals for the NHS.
£ Year Consultants and GPs NHS International Fellowships Nurses Allied Health Professionals Total 2001–02 61,874 12,403 — — 74,277 2002–03 194,888 188,455 — — 383,343 2003–04 501.63 36,922.53 12,967.28 7,972.98 58,364 Total 515,984 Further advertising is planned to support the Department-led international recruitment campaigns for consultants, general practitioners, nurses and allied health professionals.